FCBL Worcester Bravehearts

Bravehearts Storm Back, Fall to Rox in Home Run Derby

Published on July 9, 2024 under Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL)
Worcester Bravehearts News Release


Worcester, MA - The Worcester Bravehearts scored five runs in the bottom of the 9th to force extra innings before falling 2-1 in a Home Run Derby Shootout to the Brockton Rox Tuesday at Fitton Field. The Home Run Derby defeat, which, for win percentage purposes, goes down as a "half loss," dropped Worcester to 20-15-1.

Brockton jumped out to a 2-0 lead with five 1st-inning singles, then Worcester responded with a run in the 2nd. The 'Hearts cut the Rox lead in half when Max D'Alessandro (Rowan) clocked a leadoff double, the scored on Kevin Matos' (Wheaton) single down the left field line.

The 2-1 score held until the 5th inning, with a 30-minute lightning delay in the middle. Brockton expanded its lead when a run came home after an errant throw to second. In the bottom of the 5th, Worcester manager Alex Dion was ejected from the game after arguing a third strike call. After Brockton escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam, the Rox capitalized, opening up a five-run advantage in the 6th after a run-scoring wild pitch and an RBI double.

The Worcester and Brockton bullpens dueled into the 9th, with Rox left-hander Hunter Bell keeping Worcester scoreless in the 6th, 7th, and 8th. Worcester relievers Keegan Antelman (Hudson, Bentley) and Vinny Purpura (Hopkinton, Bryant) teamed up to toss three scoreless frames, and the 'Hearts entered the bottom of the 9th trailing by five runs.

After Holden's Cody Smith (Assumption) and Matt Milone (SUNY Maritime) walked, D'Alessandro lined a one-out single to plate Worcester's first run of the inning. With traffic on the bases, Lawrence's Kevin Matos (Wheaton) and Hingham's Timmy Wagner (Wheaton) each drew additional walks, and three more runs scored on Brockton wild pitches, bringing the Bravehearts within a run. With two outs, Shea Grady (Bryant) drilled a double to left, scoring Worcester's Max LeFrancois (Assumption) to tie the game. On that same play, Franklin's Henry DiGiorgio (Northeastern) was thrown out trying to score the game-winning run from first, and the game headed to extra innings tied at 6-6.

In the 10th, Taunton's Joe Mulhern (Wheaton) tightroped out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam without allowing a run after a strikeout and a pop fly ended the Brockton threat. In the bottom of the 10th, with the game-winning run on second to start the inning, Worcester went down 1-2-3, and the game was decided via the Futures League's Home Run Derby.

In the Derby, Brockton's Sebastian Mexico (Fordham), a former Braveheart, outdid Worcester's Jacob Burrell (Haverhill, Fitchburg State) 2-1, and Brockton was credited with the 7-6 win. After the derby loss, Worcester drops to fourth place in the FCBL standings. The Bravehearts can re-take third with a win over the New Britain Bees Wednesday. First pitch at New Britain Stadium is set for 6:35 p.m.

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Futures Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 9, 2024


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